Tuesday morning. A fresh day. Fresh drama.
I had barely entered the class when Priya grabbed my wrist like I had committed a murder.
"You got another note."
"What?"
She shoved it into my hand like it was a live bomb. "From Ashwin. I think. It was under your desk."
I looked down at the crumpled piece of paper with my name scribbled across the top in capital letters — KIA WEST. I unfolded it with a mix of curiosity and dread.
"She doesn't even know what she is. Halfmarked. Just like the others were…"
Goosebumps.
My eyes scanned the words again. What did Halfmarked mean? Was that… about me?
"Kia, you okay?" Priya asked, frowning.
I quickly stuffed the note in my book. "Yeah. Just… weird handwriting."
Liar.
Later That Day: Library Investigations™
During library period, I couldn't resist. I went straight to the back corner where the old surveillance camera sat — the one I thought was fake.
I stood under it, waved, even made a silly face.
No red light. No movement. Nothing.
Just like Ashwin said.
Suddenly, I heard his voice behind me. "Told you."
I spun around. "Okay, how do you know all this? Are you like… Batman?"
He gave a crooked smile. "I wish. I just notice things. People like you and me—we're not exactly 'normal', Kia."
He paused, then added, "And that note? You weren't supposed to see it."
I narrowed my eyes. "So it was from you?"
Ashwin didn't answer. He reached into his bag and pulled out something that made my heart stop.
A yearbook. From 2012.
I wasn't even in the school back then.
He opened to a random page and pointed.
There, circled in red pen, was a girl who looked eerily like me. Same smile. Same eyes. Same mole under the left eyebrow.
Her name?
Kiara Westley.
"What the—?"
"She disappeared ten years ago. Never found. But before she vanished, people called her…"
He hesitated.
"…the original Halfmarked."